Cả (Par.)

Situations

S1: Nam was drunk and hit many people, one of whom was his elder brother.

Nam say rượu, đánh cả anh của mình.
(Nam was drunk and hit many people, even his elder brother.)

Normally, Nam respects his elder brother very much; the action đánh (hit) here is not normal, it exceeds the moral limit.

S2: Mr. Ba won the lottery. Even though he bought a house and appliances, he still has enough money to purchase a car.

Ông Ba mua nhà, mua đồ đạc và mua cả xe hơi.
(Mr. Ba bought a house, appliances, and even a car.)

The event mua xe hơi (buy a car) exceeds the imagination of the speaker.

Definition

Cả, as a particle, is used to express a degree that exceeds a scope or limit.

Combinations

[1a] Họ muốn gặp cả anh và tôi.
(They want to see both you and me.)
[1b] Họ muốn gặp cả anh cả tôi.
(They want to see both you and me.)
[1c] Họ muốn gặp cả anh lẫn tôi.
(They want to see both you and me.)

• cả ... cũng ...; kể cả ... cũng ... (Mọi người đều được đi. Còn tôi, tôi có được đi không? / Everybody can go. As for me, could I go?)

[2a] Cả anh cũng được đi.
(You also can go.)
[2b] Kể cả anh cũng được đi.
(Even you / you also can go.)